Morning Sound Bite: David Wondrich On What Your Drink Says About You

“Order: A Widow’s Kiss. This is a tricky one, as its meaning depends entirely on the restaurant. If you’re at a place like Eleven Madison Park, which prides itself on a bar program that can compare to the finest in America, to order an apple brandy–Benedictine-Chartreuse concoction from 1895 is merely putting the scholars behind the bar to use and thus a sign of good sense. In most restaurants, however, such an order is nothing more than an attempt to play “stump the bartender,” and indicative of deep personality flaws.”—David Wondrich, “What Your Drink Says About You”

For the full list, head to Gourmet.com. A word of warning to those ordering multiple double Scotches on the rocks: “Your bartender will be watching you. Your server will be watching you. The manager will be watching you. And you know why.”